STAY HIDDEN SOMETIMES

Tuesday: 20th August, 2019

Reference text: Judges 6:11-24a

Judges 6:11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

In the age of social media, many would prefer that the lives of others are presented as an open book at all times for all to see. That is what many expect – that they will know about everything everyone is doing, at all times. However, there are times when working away from the eyes of the whole world is the right decision.

In light of the expectation described, Gideon’s decision to thresh wheat in a wine press will not seem a good plan because he was hiding from the midianites. But in context, we will understand that it was a wise decision because then, Israel was not a free nation. It was very open to plunder and attacks. Thus, Gideon acted like a soldier behind enemy lines, keeping his position undetected.

My dear, not every action needs to be announced from roof tops. Gideon’s actions may not really put him in the good books of many, but as we read in Proverbs 2:11a, ‘Discretion shall preserve you’. Doing things in secret is sometimes seen as a sign of distrust or even fear, but it is also an indicator of discernment- a show that one understands when to announce what.

So while we may be eager to show off our plans, abilities and desires to the world, we ought to bear in mind that the world does not need to see it all and our discretion on many occasions, will indeed protect us.

So learn and know when to keep yourself hidden.

#sly